Sunday, June 22, 2008

Parenting 101 ???

Ahhhhh... All's quiet on the home front. Shawn left yesterday afternoon for scout camp and it couldn't have come at a better time - I was just getting ready to start searching for a camp to check myself into. Did I say camp? Maybe I meant padded room??? Anyway - I'm already enjoying the break from the constant unsolicited job I acquired (since having children) as referee. Who knew? Why on earth doesn't anyone tell you how hard being a parent really is? Is it some kind of conspiracy??? Or -maybe its like childbirth - you forget (or block out) how painful it really was after its over and then you decided to have another one and the panic doesn't set in until the flashbacks start and you realize what you've gotten yourself into and its too late to back out!!! At least there's an end in sight with childbirth. This parenting thing goes on literally forever (I hear) - not just until they are 18. And - seriously - if I had parents I'm sure even I would have moved back home by now :)

I'm not sure how I missed out on the Parenting 101 class with all those years in school - and I never in a million years thought I'd be a single parent, so here I am winging it with no instructions and no 800 number to call for support and so far we're all surviving. I'm doing the best that I can and I figure at the very least - my kids will be less emotionally scarred than I and their children will be less emotionally scarred than them. So - its all good :)

I remember feeling so relieved a few weeks ago when I heard another mother actually admit in a talk at church in front of everyone - that sometimes she is overwhelmed being a parent - it wasn't anything in particular or a specific crisis, it was just everyday parenting. Can I just say "Thank you very much!!!" With all the gushing so many people do over their children I sometimes start to think there is something more wrong with me than just missing the class. I realize we need to praise our children and its great to talk about all the fantastic and/or funny stuff they do, but sometimes its nice to hear that other people have child rearing challenges too - it helps me not feel like such a failure when everyone else is talking about their perfect children :)

4 comments:

Time for a change. said...

You are no faliure and everyone thinks its hard. They may not admit it but man is it.
Hang in there and be so happy you dont have a toddler anymore. The joys of being woken when a swift kick to the throat and someone screaming in your face... "GET UP!".

Blackwell-Park's Blog said...

Thanks - I think that's it... nobody likes to admit it :) And I don't know how you do the toddler thing...its sooo different now, I can actually leave the house for a couple of hours all by myself :) I still don't get to go to the bathroom alone, but I know that's coming some day too... RIGHT???

Alysa@atticgals.blogspot.com said...

Loved this blog. Boy, we all feel like that. When are you going to start the class? I want to join! I need it to be on a repeat schedule so I can take it on a consistent basis. You do such a great job. Keep up the super work. Good thought -- they will be better than I and their children will be better than them. Pfew! You're awesome girl.

Rachelle@atticgals.blogspot.com said...

Amen, Sister. I feel guilty when other mom's hate to leave their kids while I feel like screaming "get me out of here!" I love my kids, and I love being with them, but my nerves have a limit on what they can take. I cherish alone time- I call it "recovery time." I go to the grocery store sometimes to get some milk and find myself driving around thinking "where else can I go?" just so I don't have to go back home quite yet.
You're doing a great job! I really admire you.